Title
Authorizing the Saint Paul Public Library Debt Write-Off
Body
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul Public Library Agency sends patron accounts for collection efforts to recover overdue fines, fees for damaged books, and to obtain recovery of unreturned materials; and
WHEREAS, the older a debt is, the less likely it is that the collection agency will recover money for the Library; and
WHEREAS, Revenue Recapture is another recovery method, but it is time and staff intensive, and the cost of collection exceeds the likely recovery; and
WHEREAS, Minn.Stat. ยง 541.05, subds. 1(1) and 1(4) set six years as the statute of limitations on collection of debts such as library fines and damaged material fees, so that any account which has not been reduced to judgment within that time is legally uncollectible; and
WHEREAS, obtaining a judgment to allow collection for longer than six years would involve suing the patrons in conciliation court, requiring filing fees, and additional staff time and resources; and
WHEREAS, collection efforts to recover lost or damaged materials can result in return or replacement of the materials; and
WHEREAS, the Library currently locks accounts when patrons owe more than $10 in fines or fees and will continue to lock accounts which have unreturned or damaged materials; and
WHEREAS, Library staff conducted extensive research on library fines and fees practices;
WHEREAS, based on that research and the recommendation of Library Administration, the Mayor has included the elimination of library late fines in the 2019 budget proposal to increase access to literacy and lifelong learning via the Library for everyone in Saint Paul; and
WHEREAS, the Library Administration has reviewed the existing uncollected fines and fees on its accounts and has requested that the Library Board approve the write-off of all debts older than six years as legally uncollectible; all fees older than two years, and all remaining overdue fines; and
WHEREAS...
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